ether
materials for the story of my husband's life--not mine; mine would be
poor work indeed. I am in my proper place when I am acting as his
secretary and his biographer.'

'And such a memory as she has,' Sarrasin exclaimed. 'I assure your
Excellency'--Ericson made a gesture as if to wave away the title, which
seemed to him ridiculous under present circumstances, but Sarrasin, with
a movement of polite deprecation, repeated the formality--'I assure your
Excellency that she remembers lots of things happening to me----'

'Or done by you,' the lady interposed.

'Well, or done by me; things that had wholly passed out of my memory.'

'Quite natural,' Mrs. Sarrasin observed, blandly, 'that you should
forget them, and that I should remember them.' There was something
positively youthful about the smile that lighted up her face as she said
the words, and Ericson noticed that she had a peculiarly sweet and
winning smile, and that her teeth could well bear the brightest light of
day. Ericson began to grow greatly interested in her, and to think that
if she was a little of an oddity it was a pity we had not a good many
other oddity women going round.

'I should like to see what you are doing with your husband's career,
Mrs. Sarrasin,' he said, 'if you would be kind enough to let me see. I
have been something of a literary man myself--was at one time--and I
delight in seeing a book in some of its early stages. Besides, I have
been a wanderer and even a fighter myself, and perhaps I might be able
to make a suggestion or two.'

'I shall be only too delighted. Now, Oisin, my love, you must _not_
object. His Excellency knows well that you are a modest man by nature,
and do not want to have anything made of what you have done; but as he
wishes to see what I am doing----'

'Whatever his Excellency pleases,' Captain Sarrasin said, with a grave
bow.

'Dinner is served,' the man-servant announced at this critical moment.

'You shall see it after dinner,' Mrs. Sarrasin said, as she took the
Dictator's arm, and led him rather than accompanied him out of the
drawing-room and down the stairs.

'What charming water-colours!' the Dictator said, as he noticed some
pictures hung on the wall of the stairs.

'Oh, these? I am so pleased that you like them. I am very fond of
drawing; it often amuses me and helps to pass away the time. You see, I
have no children to look after, and Oisin is a good deal away.'

'Not willingly, I am sure.'